Tag Archives: hair

Today, I went to the hair salon, and right now I’m rocking a half blonde, half brunette haircut. I showed the hairdresser a few pictures I found on Pinterest, mostly pictures of Victoria’s Secret angel Lily Aldridge (I would KILL for her locks), and she managed to recreate it in a beachy, laidback manner. But if it wasn’t for the picture, I would’ve had an almost impossible time trying to explain how I wanted my hair. Kind of ombré, a bit of a subtle dip dye, mixed with balayage… -ish?

It made me realize even more how similar these styles can get. If defined individually, the difference is quite clear, yet I noticed how these terms are still not very common. A lot of people in my close environment had never heard of any of them, until I excitedly explained them. I suppose it’s a Pinterest-thing. Anyway, I assume there will still be a few among you who have absolutely no clue what I’m talking about, so I’m going to explain the different styles and dyes.

If you google any of these terms, all three searches will have a lot of pictures in common. Apparently, the line between them is very vague. In theory the distinctions are very clear, but in reality this obviously is a lot less easy.

Ombré: At this very moment, ombré is quite a hype. It’s actually a French word (of course, those fashionable French) that means shadow. Basically, ombré in the fashion industry just means everything that fades from one into another colour, and this is not only restricted to hair: there are thousands of objects -jewellery, clothing, curtains, nail art- in ombré shades. Basically, ombré hair is supposed to be fading in a straight line -unlike with balayage, which looks rather naturally sunkissed.

Dip dye: The word already explains the meaning: dip dye is the process of making it seem like your hair tips were dipped in hair dye. It’s similar to ombré, but the line between the natural hair colour and the dip dye part is even straighter and harsher. The second difference between ombré and dip dye is that the latter usually uses brighter, bolder, less natural colours. Hot pink, sea green, bright orange,… Go wild!

Balayage: I found this one the hardest to define in words (a picture says more than a thousand words, remember?) so I went all weak pussy on this one and copied a clear definition I found on this website:

Balayage is a hair coloring technique which is designed to create very natural-looking highlights which grow out without developing a noticeable and obvious root. This coloring technique emerged in Paris in the 1970s; the word “balayage” is French for “to sweep,” a reference to the way in which the color is applied. After crossing the pond to the United States, balayage became extremely popular in the late 1990s. In the United States, you may see balayage spelled “balliage.”

When hair is colored with the balayage process, the highlights are painted on by hand in a sweeping motion which moves from the base to the tip of the hair. At the base, the color is applied very lightly, while at the tip, the color is very heavy. The result is a chunky highlight which looks naturally sunbleached, and as the hair grows out, the root will be concealed for the first few months by the thinner color applied to the base of the hair.

So, basically this means that balayage is a more natural looking ombré: highlights getting brighter near the ends of the hair.

But if you ever browsed these terms on Google, Pinterest, Tumblr, Weheartit or somewhere else, you will have noticed that a lot of pictures in your ‘ombré’ search look suspiciously like those in a ‘balayage’ search. And even the line between dip dye and ombré is actually very vague. One could say that all natural colours (blonde, brown, black) are ombré and all bright colours are dip dye, but what about red? Or black hair ends on a blonde girl?

But thankfully, rules are meant to be broken! The only condition to breaking rules is that you know them first. I’d say you do now, so it’s okay to mix and match whichever styles you like. Rock a balayage in bright dip dye colours? Go for it. Because to be honest, I still haven’t figured out what my hair style is called exactly.

If you have any suggestions (my picture is the first one in this article), leave ’em in the comments below!

If you’ve got long hair, like I do, you’ve probably tried to do it in a bun before. They are a quick and easy way to keep your hair out of your face. However, even with very long hair, your bun will still seem kind of small, compared to the big puffy buns you often see on runways.

But no worries, because you can get one of those big buns in no time as well! And all you need is an old sock you don’t need anymore. An old what? Yes, a sock. Watch and learn ladies.

I know I haven’t posted anything in quite a while, and I’m not even going to make up any excuses for it (actually I spent the last few days partying in my Pikachu outfit -check my DIY Pokébra-, I’ll upload some pictures later). Anyway, I’m back now. This post will talk about my hair routine, the products and brands I use, etc.

Throughout the years I tried many a shampoo, conditioner and hair mask, and though the results occasionally were satisfying, my hair was always extremely dry. I might as well have a wig made of straw on my head, you probably wouldn’t notice the difference (except maybe for the colour, as I’m quite a dark brunette).
But a few months ago, my younger sister (she’s 18) came home with a big unelegant bottle of Syoss conditioner. Being the sneaky sister I am, I tried it that very day, and she soon noticed because I would not shut up about how soft my hair was!

The next day I went to buy some Syoss shampoo and conditioner, and though it looks like quite an expensive brand, it really isn’t. You’ll pay more than you would for a regular cheap bottle, but the Syoss bottles are a lot bigger (About €4 for 500ml).

Most Syoss products are meant for dull and dry hair hair with split ends, from which I clearly suffered. Normally my hairdresser had to cut at least 10cm from my hair due to split ends, but last time I went there she said it was almost a miracle that I barely had any split ends. My hair is also a lot shinier than it used to be. It’s softer, easier to comb through, and less dry.

However, to every good thing there’s a less positive side. Some Syoss products contain silicons, which can make your hair very soft and shiny, but they’ll also provide difficulties when you’re planning on dyeing your hair. It will also make your hair greasy faster, so you’ll have to wash it more often. And because my hair is usually dry, washing it more often is not really a good idea.
Luckily, Syoss came up with a new type of shampoo (there even was a 2+1 for free action in my grocer, Kruidvat, score!) that doesn’t contain these silicons. Look for the bottle with blue letters. It’s for dull hair and is supposed to give you a volume lift.

Anyway, I usually wash my hair twice with the shampoo, apply the 1-Minute-Intensive Mask (found it for €2.99!) and finish with the conditioner. Afterwards, I let my hair dry naturally for as long as possible before blow drying it fastly and straightening it.

I also own a Syoss Shine&Hold hairspray, but I’ll review that one later.

Time for my second ‘inspirational photo’ post! This time, the theme’s ‘Amazing hair’. Of course this is very subjective, as you probably have a different taste in hair styles. I personally love long hair, beachy waves, bright colours, sidecuts and high buns.

Enjoy! And if you have any ideas for future photo posts, don’t be afraid to share them in the comments below!

(Edit June 15, 2012: I wrote a second post about how to temporarily dip dye your hair! Check it out.)

Something I’ve been wanting for a few months now is dip dye hair. For people who’ve never heard of it: Dip dye is a way of dyeing the bottom tips of your hair, often in a bright, non-natural colour. Here are some examples that I like:

The only problem is that my parents don’t allow me to dye my hair. I’ve secretly tried dyeing it black, electric blue and purple when I was a young teen, but they were absolutely furious.
I may have found a few solutions to my problem though!

1. Feltpens and markers: No way? Yes way! I got the idea from this blog (‘By Kashmira’ a Dutch blog, so I’ll explain in English) and it actually looks very realistic. It only stays in your hair for one day, which comes in very handy when you want to try a dip dye for just one day or, like me, you’re not allowed to dye your hair. The idea is that you take a lock of hair, put it over an old piece of paper, and just paint the bottom with a feltpen or marker. Let it dry, et voila, your own temporary dip dye hair! If you want to remove it, just rinse your hair with water. You don’t even need shampoo, it comes off very easily. However, this is also a disadvantage, because it can also come off when it rains. It works best for blonde hair, obviously, though girls with dark hair (like me) can try it too, the colour just won’t be as bright.

2. Chalk: ‘Oh ok, if we’re using markers in our hair, why not chalk as well?’ I found this one on EricaWorzel.com and CollegeFashion.net. It might seem a bit crazy, but apparently it works wonders! You just dampen your hair and rub your locks with the piece of chalk in a downward motion. I think it’s probably better for your hair than markers, but it will also take more time and energy to apply. To remove it you just need to wash it, just like with the marker dye.

I am aware that apparently it’s also possible to use Kool-aid, but I read that it stays for several washes and I don’t believe it’s available in Belgium, so I didn’t include it in this post.

You’ve probably seen many a video on Youtube where self-proclaimed girls tell you all their tips and tricks for make-up, hair and fashion. Browse the Internet for five minutes and you’ll find hundreds of these. There are so many that you can’t see the wood for trees, which is why I’ll give you a brief list of my favourites (and why I like them).

1. DiamondsAndHeels14: Cassandra is one of my biggest inspirations because she’s gorgeous, yet she still looks and behaves normal. She has a lot of skin impurities (which she shows in this video, she earned my eternal respect with this one) but covers them up so well that you can barely notice anything. She gives tips on make-up, skin problems, things like ‘how to whiten your teeth naturally’ and so on.

2. Lisaeldridgedotcom: Lisa Eldridge is a professional make up artist. She makes very professional videos, using quite expensive but decent products. One of her best videos (in my honest opinion) would be the ‘Holly Golightly’-look (Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)). Another reason to subscribe to her is her lovely accent!

3. MichellePhan: Obviously I can’t make a Youtube beauty gurus list without including Michelle Phan. She has these amazingly easy beauty tricks (ice cucumber pads, anyone?) and stunning how-to make up videos, such as this one inspired by Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Latin America. Love it! She has a second, more personal Youtube channel as well.

4. Dope2111: Tamang Phan is more than a make up artist, she can completely transform in any celebrity you can imagine! She’s very good in face shaping, you have to see it to believe it. Here’s an incredible Adriana Lima and Bellatrix Lestrange because I looove Harry Potter.

5. JLovesMac1: Last but not least I present you Jarmaine. She has really quick and easy tutorials on make up for girls with glasses and contouring your face. She’s not afraid of pulling weird faces and acting crazy, which makes the videos double as much fun to watch.